In these challenging times, as pressures mount on LGBTQ+ communities, art remains a powerful source of refuge, resistance and renewal. Qnotes spoke with six Charlotte artists across music, fashion and visual mediums about their journeys, their inspirations and how creativity builds connection. Their voices reveal how art continues to heal, challenge and strengthen our community.
Darrell Anderson brings Charlotte roots to the runway and redefines fashion with St. Mark Vintage
Charlotte native Darrell Anderson is reshaping fashion with bold vision, deep heritage and an unmistakable flair for style. “I grew up really interested in the arts, always drawing as a kid, then diving into music, and eventually discovering how to marry my love of visual arts with fashion,” he said.
The pandemic gave Anderson the time and space to fully embrace design. “I sat down and learned how to sew, researched and played around with creating. It’s been five years now, and I love it,” he shared. His label, St. Mark Vintage, honors his grandparents and the street where he grew up. “My whole design ethos is centered around sustainability and freedom. I don’t believe in gendering clothing. You should just wear what you want, whatever makes you happy.”
Anderson’s work often draws inspiration from disco culture and Black queer aesthetics. “I wish I could have been at Studio 54 in its heyday. That energy, that glamour. It was fashion, music and art all together,” he said.
With collections featured at Columbia Fashion Week and the ArtPop Street Gallery upcycle show, Anderson is only gaining momentum. “I want people to feel free and authentic when they wear something I’ve created.”
To learn more and for bookings, explore stmarkvintage.com.
Musician, entrepreneur, teacher and artist: Krystle Baller shapes Charlotte’s soundscape and skyline
When Krystle Baller moved to Charlotte in 2012, they knew the city’s creative spirit was the right fit. “I found my place here. This is home. I found my people, I found my purpose in Charlotte,” they said.
Baller, a bassist of 26 years, co-founded a nonprofit, We Rock Charlotte, that launched girls’ rock camps, empowering young musicians to pick up instruments and perform. “I saw these kids get empowered by music, just the way that I was empowered. Later, I started teaching women to play, and it’s been powerful watching people step into their artistry.”
Baller’s work has grown to include LGBTQ-centered programming, feminist punk and immersive sound journeys. In July, Baller released Dust of the Self, an album designed as a musical meditation. “I want people to feel awe and wonder and leave renewed,” Baller explained.
Beyond music, Baller leaves their mark on Charlotte visually as well. Their mural at Gardner Skelton Law in NoDa features 50 fictional and nonfictional lawyers in graffiti style, a vibrant nod to the neighborhood’s creative pulse.
“Art is a way to make connection,” Baller continued. “People may come for the music, but they stay because they find kindness and belonging.”
Follow Krystle’s art journey at https://www.krystleballer.com.
Maggie Lowe: a soulful composer, performer and musician
Since moving to Charlotte in 2019, musician Maggie Lowe has poured heart and soul into the city’s soundscape. A North Carolina native, they came here to support close friends and soon found a deeper purpose in music and community.
“I’ve been writing songs since the sixth grade and good ones since the ninth,” Lowe said. Their music weaves folk, pop, and blues into storytelling that feels both raw and healing. With an acoustic guitar in hand and sometimes a ukulele, they channel life’s joys and struggles into melodies that linger.
For Lowe, songwriting is survival and connection. “When words fail, music speaks. It’s how I process life and how I stay grounded. My favorite part of performing is seeing someone recognize their own feelings in my songs.
One of their most cherished pieces, “Be Kind,” was inspired by their father’s words. “No matter where you stand politically or religiously, everything gets better if we’d just be kind to one another,” they shared.
So far this year Lowe has released two albums, “Comin’ In Hot” and “Love,” and a third is on the way. Every note carries the same mission: belonging. “I want people to feel seen and leave lighter than they arrived.”
Connect with Maggie and get details about upcoming shows at https://www.instagram.com/maggany?igsh=MTE0dDlrdGV5aHRraw==.
Sydney Mason: out of the pandemic arose an oil painter
When the pandemic shut everything down, Sydney Mason looked around her empty walls and picked up a brush. “I just challenged myself and started painting,” she said. Six years later, her portraits, deep and soulful with striking detail, are making waves in Charlotte and beyond.
Originally from Stone Mountain, Georgia, Sydney moved to Charlotte in 2019 for a coding boot camp. By day she works in software engineering. By night she creates. “I focus on realism, mostly portraits. I love telling stories through people’s eyes. You can see so much emotion there.”
Largely self taught, Sydney began in grayscale and pointillism before diving into bold color. Her work has already appeared at the Mint Museum, the Black Girl Art Show and various Raleigh showcases. One of her pieces currently hangs in Atlanta’s Trap Music Museum, a milestone Sydney calls “a great feeling, especially in my hometown.”
Her artistry was further shaped by Kuumba Academy, a program that sharpened her vision and connected her with a thriving network of creative individuals in Charlotte. For Sydney, art is more than technique. “I want people to feel something. I want my art to spark conversations, even uncomfortable ones.”
A solo show is on the horizon. Until then, Mason is painting, pushing, and proving that art can turn quiet walls into a powerful voice.
Follow Sydney’s journey on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/_sydbmason?igsh=MTQ3cGZ4cHJ5d2c5Ng==.
Monica Rief: a whimsical and thought-provoking illustrator and designer
For Charlotte artist Monica Rief, art has always been more than images on a page. It’s a way of connecting with people. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Monica moved to Charlotte at eight years old and quickly found herself pulled into creativity. “By third grade I knew I wanted to make art for the rest of my life,” she said
That realization came alive in high school when her drawings were published in the school’s creative magazine. Students flipped straight to her page, then lined up down the hall to have her sign their copies. “Everybody wanted me to sign the page with my drawing. I had a line. I can still see it,” she remembered with a smile
Today, Monica’s art continues to carry that spark. Her work is on display at Atrium’s Art Gallery on Blythe Boulevard through October, where a curator recently described it as “whimsical and intellectual.” Monica embraces that balance. “I’m playful and I’m serious. I try to capture feelings and spark thought.
From exhibitions at Morning Star Gallery in Mint Hill to a new showcase at Pauline Tea Bar, Monica thrives on collaboration and community. “Art is a connector. Somebody sees an image and says, “You captured what I was feeling.
Explore more of Monica’s work and upcoming shows at her website, https://monicarief.com
Kevin Spencer: visual artist’s work includes acrylics, landscapes, portraits and wearable ar
Kevin Spencer spent nearly four decades in Los Angeles before making Charlotte his new home. “I was in LA [for] 38 years and I loved it, but I couldn’t see myself retiring there. My husband and I wanted a change, and North Carolina felt right,” said Spencer
Since arriving, Spencer has found the Queen City’s warmth a catalyst for his creativity. “My connections have come so organically here. It feels like I’m meant to be in Charlotte. Everyone has been so welcoming, and it inspires me every day.
Spencer, once a sought-after makeup artist, returned to painting during the COVID pandemic. His artistic journey now includes large-scale commissions such as five 36 x 36 landscapes for Novant Health’s Mint Hill hospital. “I hope people find peace and calm when they see my art, especially those waiting for loved ones in the hospital,” he said
His themes have shifted with his surroundings: from LA portraits inspired by fashion photography to landscapes rooted in North Carolina’s natural beauty. “Art should make people talk, feel and reflect,” Spencer shared. “Whether it’s joy, controversy, or healing, I want my work to spark something human.
Explore more of Kevin’s art journey at www.kevinspencerart.com.